Method for constructing a box from a flat blank

ABSTRACT

A flat box blank and a method of folding the box blank to construct boxes or similar packaging of various sizes without having to use adhesives or fasteners and without requiring any special tools or skill. The box blank includes a back, top, bottom, front and opposite side walls and fold lines running therebetween along which the blank is folded during construction of the box. The top of the box is rotated relative to the side walls thereof so as to have an open configuration, at which items can be placed into or removed from the box, and a closed configuration at which to prevent a loss of the items being stored and carried within the box. Once constructed, the box of the present invention is ideally suited for carrying business cards, food items, and the like, depending upon the particular size of box.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a method by which boxes and similar packaging of different sizes can be quickly and easily constructed by folding a flat blank, but without having to use any adhesive or fasteners and without requiring any special tools or skill.

2. Background Art

Having to provide storage space for a large number of empty boxes prior to filling and/or shipment is a common problem faced by merchants and homeowners alike. That is, because of their 3-dimensional shape, having to account for a stack of empty boxes often results in an inefficient use of space. The cost and complexity associated with manufacturing and assembling conventional boxes is increased as a consequence of the adhesive (e.g., glue) that is typically required to hold the box together as well as the equipment which applies the adhesive and handles the box during construction.

In addition, after the box has been used and its contents emptied, it is often flattened to await disposal. During flattening, a force is applied which breaks the adhesive bonds and tears the box apart. In this case, the box is destroyed which prevents it reuse and thereby results in a waste of resources and higher costs to both shippers and purchasers.

It is known to construct a box so as to avoid the problems described above by means of folding a flat blank along pre-determined fold lines. It is also known to hold such a box together without the use of permanent adhesives. Once the box has been used, it can be unfolded and returned to a flat configuration to facilitate storage while awaiting reassembly and reuse. However, the flat blanks that have typically been used to construct a box are difficult to assemble or rely on complex and expensive machinery to complete the assembly process. In this same regard, the blank often consumes a relatively large amount of sheet material in order to include all of the fold lines that are necessary to construct the box. These complexities have negatively impacted the ability to manufacture a low cost, easy to assemble box from a flat blank without the use of adhesives or fasteners or special equipment.

Examples of conventional methods which include a step of folding a flat blank for constructing a box or similar packaging are available by referring to one or more of the following United States patents: 4,890,440 Jan. 2, 1990 5,031,821 Jul. 16, 1991 5,123,540 Jun. 22, 1992 5,145,109 Sep. 8, 1992 5,241,802 Sep. 7, 1993

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In general terms, disclosed herein is a method by which boxes and similar packaging of different size can be constructed by folding a flat blank along pre-determined fold lines. The box is able to be quickly and easily assembled without the use of adhesives or fasteners and without requiring any special tools or skill. The flat blank from which the box is to be constructed is preferably manufactured from a thick paper or cardboard sheet material that is scored with the fold lines along which the blank is to be folded.

The flat blank includes an elongated back of the box. Extending from one end of the back is the bottom of the box. Extending from the bottom is the front of the box. A pair of side covers extend outwardly and in opposite directions from the front. A pair of side cover locking flaps depend from respective ones of the side covers. Extending outwardly from the opposite end of the back is the top of the box. Extending from the top is a front cover. Extending outwardly from opposite sides of the back are a pair of side walls of the box. Depending outwardly from each of the pair of side walls is a front support flap. A pair of top support flaps depend from the tops of the pair of side walls, and a pair of front support flaps depend from the bottoms of the pair of side walls.

To construct a box according to one preferred method, the pair of side walls are first folded and rotated so as to stand upwardly from and in perpendicular alignment with the back. The front support flaps depending from the side walls are folded and rotated towards one another so as to lie above the back. The top support flaps depending from the tops of the pair of sidewalls are folded and rotated towards one another so as to extend across the top of the box. The bottom support flaps depending from the bottoms of the pair of side walls are folded and rotated towards one another so as to lie one above the other and extend across the bottom of the box. The bottom and the front of the box are then folded and rotated together towards the upstanding side walls such that the bottom lies under and against the bottom support flaps and the front lies over and against the front support flaps. Next, the pair of side covers carried by the front are folded and rotated so as to lie over and against respective ones of the side walls. The side cover locking flaps which depend from the side covers are inserted into flaps slots to hold the bottom, front and side covers in place relative to the side walls.

The box is now is an opened configuration to permit access to an inner compartment in which to store and carry cards, food items, and the like, by way of an open top. The box can also be placed in a closed configuration by closing the open top to prevent a loss of the contents carried by the inner compartment thereof. In this case, the top and front cover of the box are folded and rotated together towards the front such that the top lies over and against the top support flaps and the front cover lies over and against the front. A locking tab of the front cover is inserted through a tab slot formed in the front to hold the box in the closed configuration.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a flat blank having pre-determined fold lines formed therein along which the blank is folded to construct a box according to a preferred method of this invention;

FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate steps of a preferred method by which portions of the flat blank are folded and rotated to construct the box;

FIG. 4 shows the box following construction in an open configuration at which to permit access to an inner compartment thereof; and

FIG. 5 shows the box of FIG. 4 in a closed configuration at which to prevent access to the inner compartment and avoid a loss of the contents being stored and carried therein.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings, there is shown a flat blank 1 which, as will soon be explained, is folded for the purpose of constructing an inexpensive box (designated 50 in FIGS. 4 and 5) or similar packaging without the need for adhesives or fasteners. The flat blank 1 is preferably manufactured from thick paper or a cardboard-like material. However, any relatively stiff, durable sheet material that is adapted to be scored with fold lines can be used to create the box 50. Moreover, the sheet material of blank 1 can be provided with any one of a variety of different colors and textures to enhance the asesthetic appeal of the assembled box 50. What is still more, blanks of different sizes can be used to construct a variety of different boxes or packaging having correspondingly different sizes, all without the use of adhesive or fasteners.

Located near the center of the flat blank 1 in FIG. 1 is the back 3 of the box 50. It may be appreciated that the back 3 is the longest continuous wall of box 50. Extending upwardly from the back 3 is the top 5 of the box 50. An optional hanging tab 6 can be pushed out of the top 5 to create an area at which to receive a pin for hanging the assembled box 50 against a wall. The blank 1 is scored to form a fold line 7 between the back 3 and the top 5 to establish a living hinge along which the top can be bent and rotated relative to the back 3.

Extending upwardly from the top 5 is a front cover 9 of the box 50. The blank 1 is scored to form a fold line 10 between the top 5 and the front cover 9 to establish a living hinge along which the front cover 9 can be bent and rotated relative to the top 5. A locking tab 12 is coextensively formed with and projects upwardly from the front cover 9 to perform a function that will soon be described.

Extending downwardly from the back 3 is the bottom 14 of the box 50. The blank 1 is scored to form a fold line 16 between the back 3 and the bottom 14 to establish a living hinge along which the bottom 14 can be bent and rotated relative to the back 3. Extending downwardly from the bottom 14 is the front 18 of the box 50. The blank 1 is scored to form a fold line 20 between the bottom 14 and the front 18 to establish a living hinge along which the front 18 can be bent and rotated relative to the bottom 14.

A window 22 is cut out of the front 18 to enable the contents carried by the box 50 to be viewed. A tab slot 24 is cut into the front 18 through which to receive the locking tab 12 of the front cover 9 during the assembly of the box 50 in a manner that will be described in greater detail hereinafter.

Extending outwardly from opposite sides of the front 18 are a pair of side covers 26 of the box 50. The blank 1 is scored to form fold lines 28 to establish living hinges along which the side covers 26 can be bent and rotated relative to the front 18. A pair of side cover locking flaps 30 depend from respective ones of the pair of side covers 26. The blank 1 is scored to form fold lines 32 along which the side cover locking flaps 30 can be folded and rotated relative to the side covers 26 for a purpose that will soon be described.

Extending outwardly from opposite sides of the back 3 are a pair of side walls 34 of the box 50. The blank 1 is scored to form fold lines 36 to establish living hinges along which the side walls 34 can be bent and rotated relative to the back 3. In addition, flap slots 38 are cut into portions of the fold lines 36 through which to receive respective ones of the side cover locking flaps 30 of the side covers 26 during the construction of the box 50.

Depending outwardly from the opposite side walls 34 are a pair of front support flaps 40. The blank 1 is scored to form fold lines 42 to establish living hinges along which the front support flaps 40 can be bent and rotated relative to the side walls 34 so as to lie below and provide reinforcement for the front 18 during the construction of box 50.

Extending upwardly from the opposite side walls 34 of the box 50 are a pair of top support flaps 44. The blank 1 is scored to form fold lines 46 to establish living hinges along which the top support flaps 44 can be bent and rotated relative to the side walls 34 so as to lie below and provide reinforcement for the top 5 during construction of box 50.

Extending downwardly from the opposite side walls 34 of the box 50 towards respective ones of the side covers 26 are a pair of bottom support flaps 48. The bottom support flaps 48 are spaced from the bottom 14 and the side covers 26 by narrow gaps running therebetween. The blank 1 is scored to form fold lines 49 to establish living hinges along which the bottom support flaps 48 can be bent and rotated relative to the side walls 34 so as to lie one over the other above the bottom 14 during construction of the box 50.

The manner in which the blank 1 of FIG. 1 is folded to construct the box 50 (of FIGS. 4 and 5) is now described while referring to FIGS. 2-4 of the drawings. Turning initially to FIG. 2, the back 3 of the box 50 is laid flat upon a correspondingly flat surface. The top 5 of box 50 is then bent at the fold line 7 and rotated upwardly relative to the back 3. The front cover 9 is bent at the fold line 10 and rotated upwardly relative to the top 5. The hanging tab 6 is pushed outwardly from the top 5.

The front 18 of the box 50 is bent at the fold line 20 and rotated upwardly relative to the bottom 14 of the box 50. The opposite side covers 26 are bent at fold lines 28 and rotated upwardly relative to the front 18.

The opposite side walls 34 of the box 50 are bent at the fold lines 36 and rotated towards one another to stand upwardly from the back 3. The front support flaps 40 are bent at fold lines 42 and rotated upwardly relative to the side walls 34.

Next, and moving to FIG. 3, the box construction is shown after the opposite side walls 34 of the box 50 are rotated so as to be disposed in spaced parallel alignment with one another and in perpendicular alignment with the back. The bottom support flaps 48 are now bent at fold lines 49 and rotated relative to the side walls 34 from which they extend until the bottom support flaps 48 extend one above the other and laterally between the side walls 34.

In FIG. 4, the box construction is shown after the bottom 14 and front 18 of the box 50 are rotated in a counterclockwise direction as indicated by reference arrow 52 towards the back 3. However, the front support flaps 40 extending from respective ones of the upright side walls 34 are first bent at fold lines 42 and rotated towards one another to lie over the back 3. The bottom 14 is then bent at fold line 16 and the front 18 is bent at fold line 20. Following their rotation, the bottom 14 is located under and against the pair of bottom support flaps 48 (of FIG. 3) and the front 18 is located above the back 3 and seated against the front support flaps 40.

At the same time that the front 18 is rotated against the front support flaps 40, the pair of side covers 26 that are carried by the front 18 are moved over and against respective ones of the pair of upright side walls 34. To retain the front 18 against the front support flaps 40 and hold the side covers 26 against the side walls 34 as shown in FIG. 4, the side cover locking flaps 30 (of FIG. 3) are bent at fold lines 32 and rotated towards one another so as to be inserted into respective ones of the flap slots 38 (of FIG. 3) that run along the fold lines 36 between the back 3 and the opposite side walls 34. The front 18 will now stand upwardly from the bottom 14 and extend across the front of the box 50 between the opposite side walls 34.

In FIG. 5, construction of the box 50 is shown after the top support flaps 44 (of FIG. 4) are bent at fold lines 46 so as to rotate towards one another and lie in perpendicular alignment with the respective side walls 34 from which flaps 44 extend. The bottom support flaps 48 (of FIG. 3) and the top support flaps 44 are now arranged in spaced parallel alignment at opposite ends of the box 50. The top 5 and the front cover 9 of the box 50 are now rotated in a clockwise direction as indicated by reference arrow 54 of FIG. 4 towards the back 3. That is, the top 5 is bent and rotated at fold line 7 (of FIG. 4), and the front cover 9 is bent and rotated at fold line 10. Following rotation, the top 5 will be located above and seated against the top support flaps 44, and the front cover 9 will be located over and against the front support flaps 40 (of FIG. 4) so as to also lie in facing engagement with the front 18.

In this regard, it may be appreciated that prior to the rotation of the top 5 and front cover 9, and referring once again to FIG. 4, the box 50 has an open configuration. That is, with the opposite side walls 34 standing upwardly from the back 3 and the front 18 located above the back 3 and extending across the front of the box 50 between the side walls, an interior compartment is established in which a variety of articles (e.g., such as business cards, food, or the like) can be stored and carried depending upon the size of the box. The interior storage compartment of the box 50 is defined by the back 3, the front 18, the opposite side walls 26 and the bottom 14. In the open configuration of the box 50 shown in FIG. 4, contents can be added to or removed from the aforementioned interior storage compartment via an open top.

When it is desirable to close the box 50, the top 5 and front cover 9 thereof are simultaneously rotated in the direction of reference arrow 54 as previously described while referring to FIG. 4. In order to retain the box 50 in the closed configuration of FIG. 5, the locking tab 12 is pushed into removable receipt by the tab slot 24 formed in the front 18. With the top 5 held in place, as shown, the interior storage compartment inside the box 50 is now covered to prevent a loss of the contents being carried therewith. The user may quickly and easily gain a visual indication of the contents without having to open the box by simply looking through the window 22 through the front 18.

The construction of the box 50 herein disclosed may be accomplished without special tools and without requiring special skill. However, it is to be expressly understood that the precise order of the assembly steps of the method that has been illustrated and described herein is not to be regarded as a limitation of this invention, and the box 50 can also be assembled by means of a different series of steps that are completed in a different order. 

1. A flat blank to be folded so as to construct a box, said box blank comprising: a back having first and opposite ends and first and opposite sides; a bottom located adjacent the first end of said back; a fold line running between said bottom and said back along which said bottom is bent and rotated relative to said back; a front located adjacent said bottom; a fold line running between said front and said bottom along which said front is bent and rotated relative to said bottom; a pair of side walls located adjacent respective ones of said first and opposite sides of said back; fold lines running between each of said pair of side walls and the first and opposite sides of said back along which said side walls are bent and rotated relative to said back; a pair of side covers located adjacent and extending in opposite directions from said front; and fold lines running between each of said pair of side covers and said front along which said side covers are bent and rotated relative to said front, said pair of side walls being bent and rotated towards one another so as to stand upwardly from said back in perpendicular alignment therewith, said bottom and said front being bent and simultaneously rotated to form a box enclosure with said back and said pair of upstanding side walls, where said front extends between said pair of upstanding side walls in spaced parallel alignment above said back and said bottom is located between said pair of upstanding side walls and between said front and said back, and said pair of side covers being bent and rotated over and against respective ones of said pair of upstanding side walls.
 2. The box blank recited in claim 1, further comprising a window formed through said front so as to enable the contents stored within the box enclosure to be viewed.
 3. The box blank recited in claim 1, further comprising a pair of side cover locking flaps depending from respective ones of said pair of side covers, and slots formed in said blank for receiving therethrough said side cover locking flaps for holding said pair of side covers over and against respective ones of said pair of upstanding side walls.
 4. The box blank recited in claim 3, wherein said slots for receiving said side cover locking flaps are formed along the fold lines running between said pair of side walls and the first and opposite sides of said back.
 5. The box blank recited in claim 1, further comprising a pair of front support flaps depending from respective ones of said pair of side walls, and fold lines running between said pair of front support flaps and said pair of side walls along which said front support flaps are bent and rotated relative to said side walls, said pair of front support flaps being bent and rotated towards one another from said upstanding pair of side walls so as to lie above said back and establish a seat against which said front is laid when said bottom and said front are simultaneously rotated to form said box enclosure.
 6. The box blank recited in claim 1, further comprising a pair of bottom support flaps depending from respective ones of said pair of side walls, and fold lines running between said pair of bottom support flaps and said pair of side walls along which said bottom support flaps are bent and rotated relative to said side walls, said pair of bottom support flaps being bent and rotated towards one another from said pair of upstanding side walls so as to establish a support against which said bottom is laid when said bottom and said front are simultaneously rotated to form said box enclosure.
 7. The box blank recited in claim 1, further comprising a top located adjacent the opposite end of said back, and a fold line running between said top and said back along which said top is folded and rotated relative to said back to complete said box enclosure with said back, said pair of side walls, said bottom and said front.
 8. The box blank recited in claim 7, further comprising a front cover located adjacent said top, and a fold line running between said front cover and said top along which said front cover is folded and rotated relative to said top, said top and said front cover being bent and simultaneously rotated such that said top extends between said pair of upstanding side walls and said front cover is moved over and against said front.
 9. The box blank recited in claim 8, further comprising a locking tab projecting from said front cover and a tab slot formed in said front, said locking tab received through said tab slot when said top and said front cover are bent and simultaneously rotated for detachably connecting said front cover over and against said front.
 10. The box blank recited in claim 8, further comprising a pair of top support flaps depending from respective ones of said pair of side walls, and fold lines running between said top support flaps and said side walls along which said top support flaps are bent and rotated relative to said side walls, said pair of top support flaps being bent and rotated towards one another from said pair of upstanding side walls so as to establish a support over and against which said top is laid when said top and said front cover are bent and simultaneously rotated. 